Beneath the Gods' Tree

Amanah knows all-too-well the dangers of catching the attention of the upper class of Arruk. Using her position as a guard to steal secrets of healing and help other lower class people means she works hard to remain unnoticed.

Fellow guard Taunos is boisterous, laughing, larger than life–and always around. He attracts attention as easily as breathing, which makes being associated with him dangerous. Better to stay far away, regardless of her attraction to him and his easy calm.

But when Amanah inadvertently insults a magistrate, she must flee the city to avoid his vengeance. She takes a last-minute job escorting a pair of noblemen to another town–a job Taunos is also hired for.

Along the way, she’s forced to reveal her stolen healing skills to keep the small group alive, and finds more support from Taunos than she ever would have dreamed. His confident charm becomes hard to ignore as he sees her as no one else has, even when she’s doing her best to be invisible. But opening herself to romance might be as dangerous as the wildlife and bandits they face in the wilderness, and pursuing her dreams of becoming a healer could attract the ire of those in power.

Linked to the Children of the Nexus series, this is set after Prelude Cycle and before Between Starfalls, but can be read as a standalone or in any order with the series. The main character, Amanah, appears in Let Loose the Fallen and is briefly mentioned in Between Starfalls. Taunos is a main character of the Children of the Nexus series.

This is a standalone low-fantasy adventure with a friends-to-lovers romance (mild steam), tons of banter, and a strong friendship and strong sibling relationship, told from a single third-person past-tense POV. No third act break up!